Galahad Takes a Bath arrives at ZOO Southside this Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with the one man show from writer Jojo Jones and director by Carla Troconis putting the story of Sir Galahad the Pure under a contemporary lens.
Addressing a press conference to provide an update on his quest for the Holy Grail, Sir Galahad (Forest Malley) takes part in an impromptu media conference. On a stage adorned with a lectern and freestanding bathtub, the skittish Galahad unravels as he begins to address the pressures of his task, his upbringing and his responsibility to remain pure.
Jones’s narrative has an intriguing set-up that aims to find humour in the idea of the noble and brave Galahad actually being something of a socially uncomfortable young man. Delving into Galahad’s insecurities, we see the figure of Arthurian legend address the quest to find the Grail in a contemporary business fashion with talk of figures and spreadsheets as the Knight awkwardly takes unheard questions from an inquisitive audience.
As Galahad Takes a Bath progresses, it delves into the struggles of conforming to pressures and expectations placed upon the Knight. Galahad delves into his struggles to remain pure, finding humour doing so whilst running a bubble bath and bathing in front of the audience. The immense strain this takes on the Knight is soon revealed in Forest Malley’s impressive performance. This introspective glimpse into Galahad also addresses his complicated relationship with his shapeshifting mother Elaine of Corbenic and colleague-meets-father Lancelot.
Malley’s performance does an impressive job at exploring the pressures placed on Galahad with the star balancing comic notes with more sympathetic tones, to create a complex and layered performance. The actor is powerful in a retelling of the Green Knight tale examining the idea of making commitments and promises.
Galahad Takes a Bath does feel stretched out with the humour not always landing. There are some interesting concepts here and refreshingly Jones presents this classic myth through an intriguing contemporary lens, yet this could benefit from a little trimming down and clearer focus in its core message.
Tickets for Galahad Takes a Bath are available now.
Photo: Josh Righton